CW 384 - Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
The woman feels imprisoned by her depression and can’t get out of bed. The man feels trapped by his anxiety and refuses to go anywhere or do anything. The teenager feels angry because she doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. The child feels sad because her family is never together. This is the way many in our world feel. The way many of you feel. The way many of the Israelites must have felt living in Babylonian captivity. The Lord speaks through his prophet Isaiah that freedom is coming. Not in a valiant attempt at self-improvement. Freedom comes in a person. Isaiah prophecies, “The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the afflicted” (Isaiah 61:1). Our Hymn of the Day, “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed,” speaks of Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Verse one: Hail to the Lord’s anointed, great David’s greater Son! Hail, in the time appointed, his reign on earth begun! He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free, to take away transgression, and rule in equity.
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,” Jesus teaches in the Nazareth synagogue (Luke 4:18). The Trinity works in unity to bring good news to the afflicted. The Holy Spirit comes from the Father who has appointed his Son to be the Messiah and then anointed him with the Spirit. The good news of the Christ is meant for the people in captivity in Babylon, for those captive to their hopelessness in the Nazareth synagogue, and for those captive to their depression and darkness today. This good news is meant for you. Jesus preaches freedom. But he did more than preach. Jesus signed your pardon papers with his blood. He placed his seal on the papers when he broke the seal on his grave. He broke you free from the shackles of your sins. He released you from the guilt that imprisoned you. He gave you hope as you face the very real terror of your inevitable death. You have been set free from all the fear, sin, guilt, and death because Jesus crushed the power of sin, death and Satan once had over you.
Verse two: He comes with rescue speedy to those who suffer wrong, to help the poor and needy and bid the weak be strong, to give them songs for sighing, their darkness turn to light whose souls, condemned and dying, are precious in his sight.
Jesus bandages your broken heart with the soothing message of your forgiveness. He releases captives bound in the hopeless dungeon of your depravity. He breaks the bondage of Satan’s controlling influence over your life. He brings resurrection comfort when you mourn the death of your Christian loved ones. The darkness of death that haunts the dreams of all people no longer haunts you. You have been set free from that fear because through faith in Jesus you will rise to life just as he did. Jesus came into our world on a rescue mission, and he now proclaims, “Mission accomplished.” You have been set free. Now you can live in peace and hope. Now you can live forever with your Savior.
Verse three: Kings shall bow down before him and gold and incense bring; all nations shall adore him, his praise all people sing. To him shall prayer unceasing and daily vows ascend, his kingdom still increasing, a kingdom without end.
The King of the Jews worshiped by the Wise Men is the King of kings and the Lord of all nations. The King who once received glittering gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh now reigns over a kingdom that is “still increasing, a kingdom without end.” Like the Wise Men, we worship the King with our gifts of unceasing prayers and daily vows.
Verse four: O’er ev’ry foe victorious, he on his throne shall rest, from age to age more glorious, all blessing and all-blest. The tide of time shall never his covenant remove; his name shall stand forever— that name to us is Love.
Through his death and resurrection, Jesus was “o’er ev'ry foe victorious.” Every foe that torments you has been vanquished by Christ. You believe it. You live it. People notice it. People notice when your mourning is replaced with joy. When your despair is replaced with confidence. When your struggling marriage is being worked on. When your separation from your family is bound together with love. When your spouse is dying, and you anticipate that death with resurrection faith in the Lord. When you feel the pain of your own sin or the ugliness of people’s sins against you, but you remember the healing Jesus brings to hurting hearts. When you believe you are no longer a prisoner, but live like a perfect – and perfectly free – child of God. When you “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed” who has set you free.